Brief Encounters (film)

Brief Encounters (Короткие встречи) is a 1967 Soviet romantic comedy-drama film directed by Kira Muratova.

Two women, employee and her housekeeper are unknowingly both in love with the same man, played by singer and actor Vladimir Vysotsky. Kira Muratova's debut feature film was banned by Soviet censors for 20 years before getting an official premiere during glasnost.

Plot
After leaving their native village, Nadia and her friend travel to the big city. Along the way, Nadia gets a job in a teashop and meets Maxim, a charming and educated young geologist of whom she becomes enamored. However, Maxim already has a woman he loves, local district committee employee Valya. When Nadia leaves the tea shop and ends up in Valya's town, the latter hires her as a maid and puts her up at her house, while Valya is not aware that they love the same man.

Cast

 * Nina Ruslanova – Nadia
 * Vladimir Vysotsky – Maxim
 * Kira Muratova – Valentina
 * Lydia Bazilskaya – Lyubka
 * Olga Viklandt – hairdresser
 * Alexey Glazyrin – Semyon Semenovich, geologist
 * Valery Isakov – Styopa, barman
 * Svetlana Nemolyaeva – Lelia, manicurist
 * Lyudmila Ivanova – Lidia Sergeevna, fortune-telling neighbor

Awards
1987: Nika Award — Nina Ruslanova for Best Actress